1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a unique container for storing photographic prints and negatives which can be incorporated into a larger storage system.
The Prior Art
Various containers have been developed for use in storing and transporting photographic prints and negatives after the film has been processed. One of the primary problems encountered by all prior containers was how to store both prints, with typical dimensions of about 3.times.5 inches (or about 8.5 cm.times.12.5 cm), and strips of negatives with typical dimensions of about 13/8.times.4 inches (or 3.5.times.10 cm), and potentially much larger. Indeed, strips of negatives could be as long as the entire roll of film.
The most commonly used method of storing and transporting prints and negatives is a simple envelope. The envelope is constructed so that it is wide enough to accommodate prints but at the same time is long enough to accommodate strips of negatives. As a result, both the prints and the negatives can potentially move about within the envelope and possibly become bent or creased, disorganized or even fall out of the envelope entirely.
Envelopes now commonly in use contain two interior compartments. These compartments are formed by a sheet of paper or other material which forms the envelope. The sheet is simply placed within the interior of the envelope so that the envelope is divided in half. This allows negatives to be placed in one compartment and prints to be placed in the other compartment. Even using the two compartment envelope, however, the prints and negatives can move within the envelope. There also exists the possibility that prints and negatives will be intermingled as they are removed from the envelope and subsequently replaced within the envelope because both compartments are identical in size and there is no indication as to which compartment holds negatives and which compartment holds prints.
Additional problems are encountered in storing and transporting prints and negatives in an envelope. Typical envelopes cannot be securely shut but rather depend on a simple flap in order to close. As a result the contents of the envelope are left exposed to dust and moisture. In the event the flap is lifted from the closed position the contents of the envelope are able to fall out.
The envelopes typically used for storing photographs and negatives are constructed of either paper or flexible plastic. Neither material is able to provide protection to the contents of the envelope. The envelope is easily bent, crushed and twisted with the resultant possibility of damage to the contents, particularly to finished prints. In addition, the configuration of such envelopes, especially while holding prints and negatives, is not adaptable to allow convenient storage and retrieval. Envelopes cannot be easily and neatly stacked, nor can they easily be placed into most types of conventional holders or storage systems.
A further problem with most conventional envelopes is that it is not possible to easily identify the contents. Typiclly, the material used to construct the envelopes is opaque so that none of the photographs can be seen. Thus, one must open the envelope and pull out one or more photographs in order to accurately identify which photographs are contained wihtin the envelope. It is of course possible to mark the exterior of the envelope for identification purposes, however, a more acceptable method of identification would be to view one of the actual photographs.
Generally, envelopes used to hold photographic prints are not attractive. When several envelopes are stored together the appearance is one of confusion and visual clutter.
One prior device which has attempted to solve the problem of safe and adequate storage as well as the adverse visual impact of envelopes was a simple sheet of scored paperboard. The paperboard sheet could be folded into a box or container when the need arose. The box had two compartments. One compartment was designed to hold a container for prints and the other compartment was designed to hold negatives. Typically, the box was folded up as it was loaded with a set of prints and negatives.
Several of the problems associated with envelopes remained with the folding paperboard box. The box, while more sturdy than an envelope, still was unable to adequately protect the contents. At the same time dust and moisture could easily reach the contents of the box. Unless a window was cut in the box to expose at least one print it was also impossible to see the contents of the box without opening. Therefore, the problem of identification remained.
Later attempts at providing an adequate container for prints and negatives used, as does the present invention, relatively rigid plastic materials. One such device employed a rectangular plastic box. The lid over the print compartment of the box pivoted and opened in a manner similar to that of typical cassette tape containers. The prints basically move with the lid of the device. Therefore, as the lid pivots the prints are lifted out of the container. On the opposite end of the device is a separate compartment and lid adapted to holding negatives.
Another device employing a plastic container included a mechanism whereby the prints could be slid out of one side of a plastic box. This device also included a spring mechanism whereby the prints were forced upwardly against the top of the plastic box while the box was closed. This together with the use of clear plastic for the top of the box allowed the prints inside the box to be identified.
Several problems remained with these plastic boxes. Primary among the problems with these devices is the lack of ease and convenience of access to the prints. In the case of the box employing the spring mechanism, the prints must be slid out of the narrow side of the box while the spring mechanism is at the same time forcing the prints upwardly against the top of the box. The portion of the box which slides out is also difficult to grasp and move. In the case of the device which resembles a cassette box all of the prints are pivoted with the lid each time the lid is opened. A person unfamiliar with this type of lid opening or not being attentive is prone to open the lid too quickly or incorrectly resulting in the contents being spewed out of the container. Thus, neither device is able to provide easy and convenient access to their contents.
An additional problem is that no previous container provided a completely satisfactory compartment for storing negatives. The box which resembles a cassette tape box has a separate compartment together with a separate lid to accommodate negatives. It is difficult to position the negatives within the box. The two ends of a strip of negatives are slid beneath the print compartment and a loop is formed at about the mid-point of the strip of negatives. This loop is then positioned within the special negative compartment. Such a system does not provide for ease in positioning the negatives within the box or in removing them.
The box which employs the spring mechanism described above makes no provision whatsoever for the storage of negatives. The negatives associated with the prints stored in the box must be stored separately. As a result, the chances of losing or misplacing the negatives is dramatically increased.
It is apparent that what is needed in the art is a means of storing photographic prints and negatives which overcomes the problems described above in the prior art. It would be an advancement in the art to provide a container which both protects prints and negatives from moisture, dust and crushing, while at the same time provides ease of access to the contents. It would also be an advancement in the art to provide a container which conveniently stores both prints and negatives and which does so without allowing the prints and negatives undue freedom of movement within the container. It would be a further advancement in the art to provide such a container which is attractive and can easily be incorporated into a storage system whereby multiple containers may be stored neatly and conveniently together. Such an apparatus is disclosed and claimed below.